When Time Runs Short
by DemonSaya
Summary: A little story about life, love, and time running out...(Access/Shinji+Fin/Natsuki) *UPDATED*
1. Prolouge

When Time Runs Short

When Time Runs Short

_Prolouge~Rebirth of an Angel_   
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"Well, Shinji, it looks like you're going to have a playmate, soon." A big bellied Maron said, smiling down at her best friends son. She held her tummy, smiling at the ultrasound.

It was a girl.

She felt Chiaki's hand gently squeeze hers and looked over at him. "We'll name her Natsuki, ne?" She asked, smiling at her husband. _Finn Fish...you will be reborn from me...Just as your Access was reborn from Miyako..._

The young two year old peered at the monitor, his face looking rather disgusted. "Was dat?" He asked, pointing a syrup covered finger at the place where her baby was growing.

"That's Natsuki...My daughter." Maron was reaching the end of her third trimester, and was getting somewhat anxious. She was due in about two months. Natsuki had grown more and more active in a few weeks, and was rather brutally kicking her. It got to the point where Chiaki could feel it if she kicked when they were embracing. It HURT too.

Chiaki smiled at the wierd look on Shinji's face. "So, you'll have someone to play with now. A best friend."

Shinji seemed to ponder this for a moment. "Wat abat Toki?"

Chiaki watched as Miyako gently stroaked Shinji's hair while Yamato chuckled. "You can have more than one best friend, Shinji. It'll make life more intresting in fact.

Maron smiled at the boy. _ Maybe life will be kinder to them this time...Maybe they will be allowed to be together...Maybe...___

------------------------- __

Maron walked up to the apartment, holding her new daughter in her arms. She new that over the past few months, Shinji had grown increasingly anxious about meeting the new baby. While it was still in her stomache, he's rest his ear against it, occasionally getting kicked in the face by the active child.

When she entered the apartment, her husband and friends were there, as well as little Shinji. "Chiaki! I'm home!"

"Maro..." He reached out to hug her, but she passed him, walking towards Miyako.

"Where's Access...I mean, Shinji?" She asked, bouncing the baby.

"Right here..." She pointed downwards, where Shinji was clinging.

"What's up? Does the baby want to see me?" He looked up at her through big, innocent eyes.

"Yeah." Maron kneeled down, smiling big.

Shinji put a finger to his mouth, sucking the syrup off it, cutely. "But I saw her once before...

"She's had her right hand fisted the whole time and she wouldn't open it and I was wondering why...Look, look! See?" She gently pried the baby's hand open and showed the contents to Shinji.

His eyes got rather big. "A black earing...Finn?"

"Her name is Natsuki."

Shinji's eyes began to tear up and he grabbed the baby's hands. "Yeah! I love you, Natsuki! Marry me?!

The other's in the room stared at the boy in shock while Maron giggled softly at the comment. Chiaki smiled, walking up and putting his arm around her shoulders and giving her a kiss on the forehead.

Miyako stared at her son, picking him up. "Oi! Why are you proposing NOW?!"

Maron just giggled. _Let this life be kinder to them...let them find happiness..._


	2. Chapter 1

When Time Runs Short

When Time Runs Short 

"Natsuki! No fair!

Natsuki pulled her lower lid down, sticking her tounge out at Shinji. "Tough, little guy, I'm faster than you! Be-DA!" She continued to run down the street ahead of him, till she ran headlong into someone who she knew all too well. "Ack! T-t-t-TOKI!" She collided with him, unable to stop and they both spilled across the ground.

"Natsuki, are you okay?!" Shinji asked, skidding to a halt beside her. He reached down to help her up, but his hands were slapped away. Internally, he winced.

"Toki, gomen, I didn't see you..." Natsuki said, brushing off her skirt.

Toki smiled charmingly and scooped up her hand. "No need to apologize, Natsuki, running into you is always a pleasure..." He planted a kiss on her hand and saw Shinji cringe in anger.

"Get your hands off her you slimy..." He started, then saw Natsuki wearing an odd expression. He flinched. "..."

"Shin-chan, be nice." Natsuki said, smiling back up at Toki, rather embarassed by the fuss he always made over her. Especially in front of Shinji. She flushed awkwardly. _Aw, crap...Shinji...___

Shinji backed away slightly, seeing the blush. "I...Thanks for the race, Natsuki..." He said softly. "I guess I'll see ya when you're done with...Toki." He turned, heading back to their home. Unconsiously, he hugged himself, his eyes hurt. He'd grown up with Natsuki. It hurt to see her with Toki, even if he'd grown up down the street. She'd been his neighbor. Their parents were best friends. Harshly, he shook himself. That's all they were. Friends. Why the hell should she love him?

_Love?_

The word echoed in his mind chaotically. He covered his mouth, stopping as the realization hit him. _I'm in love with her...?_ He swallowed painfully, his eyes wide.

He was already 18. He'd never had a girlfriend, because he didn't want one, but now he realized the real reason. He was in love with his best friend. The one person he'd been with since childhood. The one person he'd stood beside through everything.

His hands clenched into fists. _She must like that creep, Toki_. He winced internally. With a soft catch in his breath, he ran towards the mansion at his top speed. _Damn her...damn HIMSELF!_ He took the stairs two at a time and slipped into his apartment, which Maron, his mother's best friend and Natsuki's daughter, had given to him as a birthday gift. Harshly, he slammed the door and leaned back against it. He put his hand to his forehead and slid down the wall, his body shaking. Something warm and wet made tracks down his face and he lifted his face quickly.

Slowly, he lifted his hand to his face and lifted a tear with his finger. "Tears...?" He asked softly, his voice slightly muted with despair, longing, pain. "What am I crying for...she's just a girl..." He looked away sharply, then shook his head. _She's not just a girl_...He corrected himself. _She's_...

"Natsuki..." He whispered, his head dropping to his cradling arms as he finally let his breath shudder in and out of him in ragged sobs.

------------------------- 

Maron knocked on the door to Access's, oops! Shinji's new home and opened the door, peeking in, smiling. "Shinji-chan? I brought you some gratin!"

There was no answer. Slowly, she slipped into the apartment and reached for the light switch. "Shinji...?"

Still no answer.

She flipped the switch and gasped at the sight. The room was in shambles. There were pillows tossed everywhere, the futon was laying at an obscure angle with the sheets torn off of it, cushions and such were laying in places they did not belong, as if thrown there in anger. "Shinji-chan...?"

In the middle of it all, he knelt, his face blank, his eyes spilling forth tears for god only knows what reason. His clothing was ripped, his hair in disarray.

She walked towards him slowly, setting the food down on the counter. "Shinji...?"

He didn't respond.

A worried look passed over her face and she disappeared out of the room. She hurried back to her own apartment and leaned against the door, her face weary with worry. "Chiaki, where's Natsuki?" She asked, her voice rather tense.

"She's in her room, last time I checked..." He said, uncertainly. "Is something wrong?" He approached her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"It's Shinji..." She said shakily. "His apartment's a mess, and he wasn't responding when I said his name."

Chiaki guided her to a chair and sat her down. "I'll send her over to see him. She should be able to snap him outta whatever slump he's in." He grinned confidently, and it made her feel moderately better. When he turned away from her, he saw Natsuki standing in the doorway of her room, wearing a worried expression.

"Something's wrong with Shin-chan...?" She asked, her eyes bright with worry. She rushed towards the door. They didn't stop her. She went next door and pushed open the door to his apartment. Her breath caught. "Oh, Shin-chan...what's happened to you..." She whispered, going towards him.

He flinched at the sound of her voice.

Deep down, she hoped that was a good sign. She closed the door and walked over towards him, her hands raising to touch his shoulders. At the contact, he tore himself away from her, falling to the ground.

Her eyes widened in shock. "S-shin-chan...It's me...Natsuki..."

He stared past her, his eyes blank, tears still rolling down his cheeks.

Gently, she helped him sit and embraced him, stroaking his hair. "Tell me what's wrong...it's okay, you can tell me anything, Shin-chan..." She felt him sobbing harshly and stroaked his hair gently.

But all he could do, was let her embrace him...

And cry...   
  


To be continued......... 


	3. Chapter 2

When Time Runs Short

When Time Runs Short 

_Chapter 2~Accepted/Rejected_

  
  
  


Shinji finally managed to collect himself by midnight and quietly told Natsuki to go back to her apartment. They both knew her parents would worry about her if she was gone too long. It had already been a few hours. Natsuki nodded, standing, her face rather concerned. "Okay, Shin-chan...I'll go...but I want you to PROMISE me you'll get better. I can't go to school without my best friend." 

He smiled weakly and nodded. "I guess not..." He said and watched her head towards the door. "Turn out the light before you go, please..." He said softly. 

She looked back at him, her eyes distinctly worried. "Aa..." She lifted her hand to the light switch and turned it off. She turned back towards him briefly and saw he was standing at the window, the light illuminating his face. She blushed faintly. "See ya tomorrow?" She asked softly, smiling. 

He looked towards her, his face still streaked from tears and looking pale as death. "Sure..." 

The image caused her breath to catch and she swallowed her horror. Hurriedly, she turned her back and closed the door. She leaned her back against it, breathing heavily, her eyes frightened. _He...he looked DEAD_... She thought, trying to hold in the bile that was on the verge of rising from her throat. 

Quickly, she went back to her apartment and tried three times to open the door, each time, unsuccessfully. After a moment, she heard her father coming towards the door and it opened. She walked inside, her body numb. 

"How is he?" Her father asked softly. "What was wrong with him?" 

"He'll be okay..." She said numbly and headed towards her room. 

"Natsuki?" 

"Hai..." 

"Are you okay?" 

She heard the concern in her father's voice and forced a nod. "Aa...I'm fine. I'm just a bit shaken up..." She walked into her room and closed the door. She knew what had upset him. She'd seen it on his face earlier that day. It was because Toki was hitting on her. 

She blushed. _Does that mean Shinji likes me? Could it mean that?_ She hugged a pillow to her chest, staring up at the ceiling. "Shinji..." She whispered dreamily. "Oh, Shinji no baka..." 

------------------------- 

Shinji winced at the pain in his back. "Chikusho..." He whispered, hugging himself. "Dammit...where does this pain come from?!" He rasped, his fingers making fists in his shirt. Forcefully, he pushed his mind off the pain and grabbed a trusty manga off his shelf and flipped it open. He continued to flip through it, his face flinching every now and then from the pain. Then, he shivered. 

_Someone was in his room._

Cautiously, he glanced up from his manga and saw a figure dressed in solid black, with relatively long black hair. "Access, it HAS been awhile..." 

"Who the hell are you?!" He asked, jumping to his feet and tossing the book aside, the pain in his back still affecting him. 

"Surely you recognize me, Access..."   


_What the hell is he talkin about?_ Shinji wondered, getting into a ready stance. Martial artist he was not, but he knew he could hold his own in a fight. "Who the hell are you callin Acccess...My name's Shinji." 

The man snorted. "I see your memories have not fully returned...perhaps with the emergence of your other limbs we shall see progress...our fight can wait till then..." A harsh grin. 

"Get the hell outta here..." 

Noin threw a seal at him and it smacked him in the face, only to fall away seconds later. When he looked up, the man was gone, although there was a gentle breeze blowing in through his window, stirring the curtains. 

Shinji went towards the window, and looked out, but couldn't see his 'mysterious' assailant. 

------------------------- 

Natsuki waited impatiently for Shinji to get ready to go. She could tell the second he opened the door with his hair a wreck, and his eyes with more bags than the luggage carrier at the airport that he hadn't slept well that night. She shook her head, leaning against the door wearing an exasperated expression. 

Shinji opened the door, walking out with his collar unbuttoned, and dragging a comb through his hair. "Okay, let's go!" He said, grinning weakly. 

She walked beside him as they went to pick up Toki and Celcia. She didn't want to admit it, but she was worried about him. His eyes seemed haunted, like they'd been the previous night. Deep down, she wondered what had happened that had affected him so deeply. It couldn't just be the incident the other day with Toki. It had to be something else also. She bit her lip, looking down. "Shin-chan...how much sleep did you get last night?" She asked softly. 

"Not much." He said, shrugging. "An hour...maybe two." He saw her head lowered and rested a hand on her shoulder. "I'm okay..." He said, although he could still feel the pain of something trying to force it's way out of his back. He winced slightly, rubbing his shoulder. 

"Are you okay?" 

"Just a few sore muscles." He said, grinning. 

She frowned deeply. "Okay..." 

Celcia and Toki ran down the street to meet them, and Toki was quick to claim Natsuki's hand as they were walking. Celcia ruffled a bit, but kept quiet. Shinji barely managed to keep himself from ripping Toki's throat out. His hands sporatically fisted and relaxed as he tried to keep control of himself. He also discovered if you're going to let your best friend have the woman that you're in love with, it's best to get a full nights rest. Otherwise, you might consider killing your best friend. 

------------------------- 

Natsuki opened her mailbox and peered into it hopefully. To her surprise, a letter sat in it, adressed to her, with the return address of the school. She pulled it out slowly while Shinji checked his. Her heart thumped hard as she tore it open and looked inside. At that point, she let out a shriek of joy. 

Shinji looked over at her in surprise. "Natsuki?" 

She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I got accepted!" She cried. "I got accepted into the University of Japan!!!" She cried, her face lit up with an extatic smile. She felt Shinji pick her up and spin her around, laughing right along with her. 

"Congratulations!" He said, setting her down, his eyes smiling at her. The gentle look on his face sent her heart racing. 

"Shin-chan..." She whispered, her eyes shining. The smile on his face made her flush and she hugged him tightly. "Come on, open your notice! You must have gotten accepted too!" She said, pulling back and holding him at arms length. 

He looked down slightly, his face serious. _Pleaseohpleaseohpleaseohplease_...he thought, tearing open the envelope. He closedas he pulled out the letter, holding it opened and then let them snap open. His heart fell. "We regret to inform you that..." He said softly. 

She stared up at his face in shock. "Shin-chan..." She whispered. 

He forced a smile and shrugged. "Maybe I'll get accepted to Tokyo University..." He said, fighting down the anguish inside. _Dammit!_ He walked past her slowly and looked down at the waistbin at the end of the mailboxes. His face darkened slightly and he threw the rejection letter into the trash without ceremony. 

She watched him head towards the stairs and bit her lip. _This means_...She swallowed hard. "I have to leave..." She said softly. 

Suddenly, Toki and Celcia ran in. "Natsuki! Did you get accepted?!" Celcia held up her acceptance letter and Toki displayed his as well. 

Natsuki saw Shinji pause on the stairs before he continued to move up them. "Y-yeah...I did..." 

"What about Shinji?!" Toki asked, silently praying he hadn't. 

Natsuki sighed heavily, then turned to walk up the stairs. "No..." She said softly, watching her best friend turn to walk up the next flight. 

"Oh, Natsuki, I look forward to basking in the sun of Kyoto with you!" Toki cried, clasping her hands. 

She bit her lip. "Excuse me, guys...I outta go tell my parents..." She said softly, walking to the elevator and pressing the up button. _We regret to inform you that_...She bit her lip, her eyes saddening. "Oh, Shin-chan..." She whispered, stepping onto the elevator and pushing the button for the seventh floor. 


	4. Chapter 3

When Time Runs Short 

_Chapter 3~If You Need Me_

  
  
  
  
  


Shinji heard the gentle knock on the door and went to it slowly, his face tired. He reached for the knob and slowly turned it, looking wearily out at Natsuki. "Yo..." He said, holding the door open and letting her walk in. He didn't understand why she'd come. It didn't make sense. She'd gotten accepted with Toki and Celcia. She should be out celebrating with them. He lifted the coffee pot and pulled down a mug, looking over at her. "You want a cup?" He asked, giving his usual grin. 

She looked up at him, nodding slowly. "Yeah, sure..." She said, wringing her hands out. She watched him carefully, his purple hair hanging long, down to his waist. She chewed her lip, brushing some of her hair from her face. "Shinji-" 

He turned towards her, handing her the cup, made exactly how she always drank it. "Yeah?" He asked, sitting on his couch, his hands craddling the cup. Slowly, he took a sip. 

She sighed. "Shinji, I'm sorry." She said hurriedly. "I really thought you'd get accepted...I..." 

He held up a hand, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it." He said softly, smiling weakly. "I'm glad you and the other's got accepted..." He looked back down. "I'm sure you're glad to get me outta your hair anyways." 

She stared at him in shock. "Glad to get you out of my hair?!" She asked, standing abruptly and spilling some of her coffee on her hand. "Minazuki Shinji, I'm ashamed of you! How could you think so low of me?! You're my best friend!" 

He looked away. "Friend..." He said in a whisper soft voice. So long he'd been considered a friend. Been HAPPY being a friend. Now, it meant little, if anything at all, to him. "You're my best friend, Natsuki..." He said, lifting his intense purple gaze to look at her. "And..." He stood, setting his coffee down and taking hers from her to let it join his. "If you ever need me..." He embraced her warmly. "I'll be here..." He whispered into her ear. 

She blushed, looking away. "Sh-shin-chan..." She whispered, slowly lifting her arms to hug him back. But before she could, he released her, his gaze serious. 

He stared at her, slowly lifting a hand to touch her face. "Natsuki..." He whispered, his gaze becoming intense. He saw her blush and quickly withdrew his hand. "I'm sorry..." He said, turning from her. 

Her gaze jerked back to him. "Shinji?" She asked softly. 

"I forgot...if you need someone...Toki will be there with you..." He could barely keep the bitterness out of his voice. "He loves you..." He said softly. 

Natsuki saw the defeated slump to his shoulders and reached out to touch his shoulder. 

"You should go tell Maron and Chiaki..." He said softly. "They're going to be happy for you." 

She slowly pulled her hand back and stared at him. "Aa...I guess I should..." She said softly, her eyes softening. She turned back to the door, her hands fisted at her sides. 

"Natsuki-" 

She turned back slightly, to see him looking over his shoulder at her. "Nani?" 

"Remember...if you need me..." 

She smiled, nodding. "I know..." _I know_... 

------------------------- 

Maron heard her daughters soft, tired call of Tadaima and frowned. "Natsuki? You're not going out with your friends?" She frowned deeply, her hands still making gratin. 

"No, mom...I have some good news..." 

Maron turned towards her daughter, wondering why she sounded less than thrilled about this 'good news'. "What's up, hon, you sound really upset?" 

"I got accepted." She held up her acceptance letter. 

------------------------- 

Shinji stood in the shower, his face turned up into the stream. _I will be happy for you, Natsuki_...He promised himself. The pain in his back was becoming unbearable. It was driving him insane. He opened his eyes slowly and saw someone leaning against the shower door. 

"Well, well, well, Access. Losing your head over Finn again?" 

"Who are you...?" He asked, standing at the back of the shower. 

"You mean you don't recognize me?" He laughed darkly. "I am Noin Claude." 

The name set off warning bells in his head. "I know that name...I don't know how...or where..." 

A dry chuckle. "You better set your wings free." He said, grinning and walking towards the door. "Access Time..." 

"Why do you call me that?!" 

"Don't you know?" Noin smiled grimly. "That is your true name." 

_Access Time_. 

Shinji clutched his head, dropping to his knees. _Why...? Why does that name cause such pain...?_

"You better keep a good eye on that little angel of yours." He smiled, before disappearing from the bathroom. 

Shinji knelt on the floor of the shower, clutching his head. _Finn...? That name...it brings both joy and pain...who is Finn? Where do I know this name from...? _He slowly stood, getting out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist. His tiny black earing hugged his ear tightly, shining slighty from the light. He reached up and tugged on it. He'd had it as long as he could remember. Something told him it was an important symbol, but he didn't know why. 

He rapidly towel dried his hair, then tossed the long tresses back. He'd always let his hair grow. He kept it cut around waist length, although the fashion was to cut it all short. He liked his hair long. Natsuki had told him that it looked good on him, too. He never cut it again after she'd said that. 

With a heavy sigh, he pulled on a pair of boxers and some loose comfortable cotton pants that served as pajama. That person was bothering him. Noin Claude. Sounded French. 

He cracked his knuckles. "If he thinks he's hurtin Natsuki-chan...He's got another thought comin'." Suddenly, the pain in his back increased and he cried out in agony, dropping to his knees and hugging himself. _ Where is this pain coming from?!_

_You better set your wings free._   
__ __

To Be Continued... 

_(Again, a little more creative license. As story progresses, Shinji is gonna start to remember some stuff, i.e. the name 'Finn'. Evenutally, his memories are going to return completely, and give this a really waffy (typical DS) ending.)_


	5. Chapter 4

When Time Runs Short 

_Chapter 4~Taken_

  
  
  


Maron held her daughter's hand gently. "That's wonderful, sweetheart..." She said, her statement almost more of a question than anything else. "Why aren't you happy? You've been looking forward to going U of J as long as I can remember...You wanted to go there with everybody..." 

"Shinji didn't get accepted." Natsuki blurted. 

Maron's eyes widened. "Oh no..." She laid her hands on mouth. "Oh, the poor thing..." She laid her hands on Natsuki's shoulders. "Is he alright...?" 

Natsuki looked down and away. "He'll be fine..." She walked towards her room, her face tired and sad. _Shinji...don't think I didn't see the hurt in your eyes...don't think I don't know that you're jealous of Toki_...She hugged her pillow. She'd seen curious looks in his eyes for so long now. She'd seen him watching her during homeroom, lunch, walking home. Angrily she hit her pillow. _If you'd just gotten your act together, you'd be coming with us!_

She sighed heavily, flopping onto her back. Her eyes roamed the ceiling as she lost herself in her own thoughts. She didn't know what, but something about Shinji caused her heart to pound. Had always stirred odd feelings in her heart. It was enough to drive a girl insane. She had developed the ability to sense when his intesne violet eyes were spearing her, feel the electricity between them when they almost touched. She hugged herself, closing her eyes. 

She'd remembered her mother telling her stories about the day she was brought home, how Shinji had never left her side, how he'd proposed to her the moment he'd laid eyes on her. She sighed heavily. As time went on, though, they'd both begun to change. Shinji treated her as though she was just a precious friend, not someone he'd want to marry. 

Hurriedly, she shook her head. "Who cares if he doesn't want to marry me?! He's just a stupid boy, anyways! Who cares..." She paused, looking at a picture of them, when they were older, he was about seven, she was five. One of their friends had dared him to kiss her. Of course, he had to prove he wasn't a chicken, so he'd gone up to her and gave her an innocent peck on the lips. Maron had a camera at the time. 

She shook her head, remembering Miyako, Shinji's mom, having a fit about it, too. She'd seen the picture and grounded Shinji on the spot. He hadn't been able to leave the house for a week during summer break. 

She giggled softly at the memory. Shinji always managed to get into trouble, either in school, or with his parents. His first curse word was shouted out in the middle of class, when he realized he hadn't done his homework...She smothered another giggle. He'd had to clean the room after school for a week as penance. He'd habitually fall asleep during classes, and have a ruler cracked down on his desk, to wake him. He'd stopped that when he'd shifted and the ruler cracked down on his head instead. 

A heavy sigh escaped her. "Baka..." She nodded in agreement with her own statement. "Shinji no baka..." 

------------------------- 

Shinji walked out of his room, one hand rubbing his shoulder, the other holding his satchel. _What IS that...?_ He wondered, sighing heavily, walking down the hall to a large line or vending machines. It was bugging the hell out of him that he couldn't figure out what that was. He paid no notice to the young women in the hall, staring blatently at his naked chest, and dropped a coin into the machine, hitting the button for coke. He sighed heavily, picking up the drink and leaning against the machine, tapping the top with his thumb. 

He heard a few younger girls giggling and looked up under his long bangs to look at them through deep violet eyes. They fluttered their eyelashes at him and toyed with their hair smiling playfully. He popped the tab and began walking back to his room, silently sipping it. _Natsuki-chan_...he thought, his eyes softening. _She never flirts with me...maybe I'm just a friend to her after all...but..._He sighed heavily. 

She was so beautiful. Long, almost green hair, and bottomless green eyes. Like a picture from a dream. Something about her stirred old feelings he didn't remember, old, confusing things that made him almost tremble, things that made him wake in the dead of night, chilled with sweat. Those nights, the pains in his back were the worst. Those nights, when he kissed her in his dreams, then she was pulled away from him by the man with the black hair that haunted his waking times. 

He shook his head and walked back into his apartment. He closed the door and it made a loud clicking sound as it latched. He leaned against the door, hugging himself, closing his eyes. He called her Finn in the dreams. That creep who kept on visiting his room, was obviously affecting him more than he thought. 

A gentle knock sounded at the door and he opened it looking around the edge. "Natsuki..." He said softly. "It's late, you should be in bed..." 

"I can't sleep..." She said softly. "I don't want to go to school without my best friend..." She didn't look at him. 

He gently drew her into his room, and sat her down at the table. "I'll make ya somethin to help ya sleep, ne?" He said softly, letting his hands rest on her shoulders for awhile. When she nodded yes in agreement, he smiled a bit and disappeared into the kitchen. Silently, he makes her some warm milk, till a soft shriek pulls his mind from the empty task. He hurried out to the other room, finding Noin holding a blade to Natsuki's neck. 

The glass fell and shattered on the floor. 

"Natsuki-chan..." He whispered, wide eyed. 

"Sh-shinji!" She whimpered, reaching towards him. 

Noin smiled evilly. "I warned you to keep a close eye on your little angel. Now look what's happened..." 

Shinji's eyes narrowed. "Let her go, Noin..." 

"Oh, no, I think your little Natsuki is comming with me." He tossed a sheet into Shinji's line of vision and once again, did his disappearing act, taking Natsuki with him, only her echoed cry of Shinji's name echoing in the room. 

"Shinji!!!" 

He ran to the window. "NATSUKI! NOIN! NATSUKIIII!" 

He stared out the window, shocked, then, his eyes narrowed quickly in anger. I'll save you Natsuki-chan. Zettai ni... 

------------------------- 

Marron gently tapped on Natsuki's door the next morning and peeked inside. "Natsuki-chan, it's time for school!" She said cheerily, walking in and looked around. 

It was empty. 

Her eyes widened and the tray slipped from her fingers. "Natsuki...chan..." 

Chiaki heard the crash from the next room and ran inside. "Marron, what is it?!" 

"My daughter..." Marron whispered, trembling. She steadied herself on the bedside table and looked desperately at her husband. "Go see if she's with Shinji!" She practically commanded him. He didn't need to be told twice. He ran out of the room and into Shinji's apartment without knocking, only to find it too was empty. 

A feeling of dread washed over him as he realized that a sword that had been his pseudo-son's birthday gift a few years back was missing. He walked out and saw Marron looking up at him desperately. He simply shook his head. 

Marron's eyes filled with tears and she let Chiaki pull her close, holding her tightly. 

"We have to let him save her, Marron. We have to trust in Access..." He said softly in her ear, stroaking her hair gently. 

Marron continued to cry. 


End file.
